High Stream Flow Advisory 5.9
Seabird Island is now at a High Stream Flow of 5.8. 1 home and 1 farmer are on Evacuation Alert at this time.
Wondering what happens if there's a flood? Read our Flood Action Plan below.
Seabird Island lies on a flood plain and so flooding is a common concern May-July. Heavy rain, large snow pack, early intense warm weather, and upriver dam rupture are contributing factors.
Seabird Public Works Manager receives provincial freshet information on the state of rivers each spring. According to freshet data, Seabird moves through four stages of flood alert.
STAGE 1: High streamflow advisory (river levels rising but no flood imminent) Action is Awareness:
Emergency teams begins weekly meetings.
Public Works monitors provincial freshet and other data including daily slough levels at grandstand; checks sand bag stock and identifies need for sand bags, sand and mechanical sand bagger; checks gen-sets and tentatively sources others.
Information sources:
- EMBC southwest manager, Greg Kanya: live webcasts for regional information sharing
- Environment Canada, John Oakley: BC River forecast centre, snow pack and river flow analysis
- South Coast Compliance and Enforcement Group, Ralph Schroeder: Fraser river gauge monitoring
Communications
- sends out community flyer Alert level 1 (see template); posts information on website, inside and outside bulletin boards;
- encourages community members to plan (check basements for items that will need to be moved upstairs and sump pump function, prepare a family emergency plan, call seabird communications officer with details about evacuation needs and plans) and also
- workers (e.g. housekeeping supplies/chemicals and things that will need to be moved in the case of flood)
- creates reception area display for staff and client information (flood central-below TV in lobby)
- Emergency coordinator ensures staff and community fan-out lists are up to date; ensures boat availability list is up to date; ensures list of homes and property at highest risk are identified.
STAGE 2: Flood watch: water levels continue to rise and are expected to reach bankfull
Action is Readiness:
- Public works begins surveillance of culverts, low level roads. Check sump pumps, ensures that caution road flooded signs and cones are available, man-hole covers are available
- ESS: updates vulnerable client list, checks supplies, ensures evacuation sites are available (agreements current)
- Communications sends our community flyer Alert level 2 (see template); posts information on website, post on facebook sites (lands and education/employment)
- encourages community members to check basements for items that will need to be moved upstairs and sump pump function, prepare a family emergency plan, call seabird communications officer with details about evacuation needs and plans.
- Community education for fisher folk: how to protect yourself with rising rivers
- Ensure all staff text system is ready to go. Email all staff with information about flood potential and direction to check office areas for items that will need to be moved in the case of flood. If help is required, communicate this need to communications officer.
STAGE 3:Flood warning: water level is at bank capacity and expected to increase, or weather forecast predicts this imminently and flooding is expected Action is Get set (for potential evacuation)
Public works begins active surveillance of high risk areas and reinforces high water perimeter as necessary.
- Sand bagging may begin to set up barriers at high risk homes and areas.
- Get gen set to pump station
- Consider man-hole covers
- Empty used oil tank reservoir and oil separator reservoir
Communications sends our community flyer Alert level 3 (see template: includes evacuation alert); posts information on website, encourages community members to prepare for flood including move items in basement or lower level of homes as necessary, identify evacuation destination, prepare family kit, call seabird communications officer with details about evacuation needs and plans.
A. Evacuation Alert
Normally, Seabird’s EOC director will be notified of an evacuation alert. The EOC director and/or Chief and Council can also post an alert. Be mindful that stress levels will be high. The goal is to give people as much advanced warning as possible.
- Prepare an Evacuation Alert notice, an Evacuation Plan notice, and a Document List notice (see templates) and post on website. Deliver door to door.
- alert the population of potential need for evacuation
- highlight the nature of the danger
- instruct to prepare to leave the affected area within a specified time frame
- give a list of items to take with them
- indicate where the reception centre is
- Identify at-risk community members who may require pre-evacuation due to health requirements.
- EOC director must contact EMBC and request support for at-risk community members for pre-evacuation
Ensure all staff text system is ready to go. Email all staff with information about flood and direction to prepare items that will need to be moved. If help is required, communicate this need to communications officer.
STAGE 4: Flood: widespread flooding
Action is Evacuate
See evacuation procedures
STAGE 5: Clean up
- Contact environmental health officer
- No-one should be drinking the water; homes on seabird water system can use water for washing machines and showers.
- Toilets are OK unless Agassiz has shut off
- Road repair
- Building inspections
